Bernard Lietaer (7 February 1942 – 4 February 2019) was a Belgian civil engineer, economist, educator and writer. He became widely known for studying how money works as a social and technical system and for arguing that communities and regions can gain resilience by developing local or complementary currencies alongside national money. He was born in Lauwe, Belgium.
Main ideas and contributions
Lietaer emphasized that money is not neutral: its design affects investment, stability and social outcomes. He argued that a diversity of currencies — including local exchange networks, time-based currencies and sectoral credits — can help meet needs that national currencies do not address, reduce vulnerability to financial shocks, and encourage sustainable, community-focused economic activity.
Work and publications
Throughout his career Lietaer combined academic study with practical consulting and public writing. He authored books and articles aimed at both specialists and general readers, presenting theoretical frameworks alongside examples of alternative currency schemes. Notable titles include:
- The Future of Money: Beyond Greed and Scarcity
- New Money for a New World
History and context
Lietaer began as an engineer and moved into questions about finance and monetary institutions. His work came at a time when interest in community currencies and local resilience was growing, and he sought to bridge technical analysis with on-the-ground experimentation. He described monetary systems in a way that invited designers, policy makers and citizens to consider intentional alternatives to single-currency dependence.
Impact and legacy
Lietaer influenced practitioners who design complementary currencies, academic discussions about the role of money, and community organizers interested in locally rooted exchange systems. While complementary currencies remain diverse in form and scale, his writing helped popularize the idea that monetary design can be an instrument for social and ecological aims, not only for facilitating trade.
Notable facts
In addition to his books, Lietaer lectured and advised groups exploring monetary innovation. He died on 4 February 2019 at the age of 76, and continues to be cited by advocates of alternative monetary systems and local economic resilience projects.